You'd think that because of sir Richard Dawkin's harmless rhetoric, his careful reasoning behind every conclusion, his unnervingly courteous conduct and his staggering knowledge of the natural world, he'd be immune to some of the things I've heard said about him, even from family members.

1. He is arrogant
2. His "dogmas" are little better than that of the Bible freaks he contradicts
3. He is closed-minded to all kinds of possibilities
4. He supports hopelessly flawed and outdated ideas about evolution
5. He overestimates the ability of science to comprehend the universe

I have my own critiques of Dawkins, its about how he approaches religion, he isn't as knowledgeable on the subject as say Hitchens. Its just not his strong suit. He should stick to debating what he does best, which is evolution and science against creationism and leave the religious debating to Hitchens.

"Liberty without socialism is privilege, injustice; socialism without liberty is slavery and brutality." Mikhail Bakunin

I agree with Sosa. I don't dislike Dawkins, and he's my favourite of the so-called Four Horsemen, but I do see him as arrogant at times and I have to agree he can come across as closed-minded. He's a brilliant science educator, and, like Sosa, I agree he should stick to what he does best.

I don't really think he's a genius, either. Smart definitely (putting it mildly) and probably a guy I would love to have a chat with (if it was a conversation that wasn't completely over my head ), but probably not a genius. xD

"It does feel like something to be wrong; it feels like being right." -Kathryn Schulz
I am 100% certain that I am wrong about something I am certain about right now. Because even if everything I stand for turns out to be completely true, I was still wrong about being wrong.

(31-03-2011 09:37 AM)ebilekittae Wrote: I don't dislike Dawkins, and he's my favourite of the so-called Four Horsemen, but I do see him as arrogant at times and I have to agree he can come across as closed-minded.

How does one not appear closed minded when one is debating with people who constantly rehash arguments that have been proven wrong for many decades, but they still bring back up, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over,etc?

When I find myself in times of trouble, Richard Dawkins comes to me, speaking words of reason, now I see, now I see.

Dawkins is a hardcore atheist, not a freethinker. Everyone who takes in an absolute position can come over as arrogant. I am Pretty sure this is a pose he has to take in to be able to have a more defensible position.

Also: He is conveying a message. That message better be strong or no one would be listening.

Quote:3. That's like saying that mathematicians are "closed minded" about 2 + 2 equaling other numbers rather than 4.

Actually , it depends on the set you're in. In the set Z4 , 2 + 2 = 0; Had to let my inner geek out

Quote:Dawkins is a hardcore atheist, not a freethinker.

You couldn't be more wrong on this. He described himself as a 6/7 atheist. Even he leaves room for a god if the evidence is there.
And yes he is convinced of biology because unlike creatards he actually studied science and praises a professor of his in a documentary(2008 - The one about Darwin's dangerous idea) who worked on a theory for 15 years and when an American scientist disproved it with evidence , the professor smiled with tears because knowledge was gained despite his theory proven wrong.